A musical evening

I hope this song blesses you as it has blessed me and enriched my worship. Till next time!

The Blood of Jesus.

There is power, power,
Wonder working power
In the Blood of the Lamb,
There is power power,
Wonder working power
In the precious Blood of the Lamb.

There are so many things that come to overwhelm us in this world that we live in today that without the protection of God over our lives we would not be able to stand. We are in the last days, and everywhere you look there is calamity, danger, pestilence, death, and sin. Even a Christian can fall prey to the traps of hopelessness that the enemy has laid out for people. We know in the Word that "the devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy" (John 10:10) and he is not willing to relent.

I can attest to feeling the oppression of the attacks of the evil one. There were days when it seemed like I couldn't make it and the more I looked around me, the more I felt like I was sinking in this dying world. Does that ring a bell? Remember Peter sinking after he had started walking on water? The suffocating feeling of helplessness, hopelessness and fear was unbearable. I was praying but even prayer felt like a burden. It got to the point where I constantly fought tears regardless of where I was. That's when I had a meeting with a very wise woman at my church, and she reminded me of the Blood of Jesus. From then on I have been pleading the Blood daily and I have watched as God's power subdued the attacks of the enemy.

You may say what has the Blood of Jesus got to do with anything. If you are a Christian, Jesus shed His innocent blood for your sake so that you can have forgiveness, deliverance and protection. There are two things I want to point out in the Word that let us know that blood is important. The first is the instance where God told the Israelites to smear the blood of a lamb with no blemish on their doorposts so that when the angel of death comes to attack the Egyptians, it will not come near them. If the blood of a lamb could be used in that manner, how much more the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God. Secondly, innocent blood shed is intercession before God. When the blood of Abel was shed, the Bible tells us that the blood cried out to God for vengeance. How much more will the Blood of Jesus make intercession for us?

Today, no matter what you may be going through know this: the Blood that Jesus shed for you on Calvary is well able to make you an overcomer.

“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.” (Revelation 12:11)

--image from virtuousplanet.com

Moving On...

They say old habits die hard. I think we can say old affections also die hard.
Just recently I had to deal with the old affections of my heart. I really thought I had forgotten them, killed them, buried them, never to see them again. But that was only a dream. A delusion of some sort. They didn't go away, they had only morphed into something else.

In case you're wondering, I'm talking about those fantasies, dreams of the type of man I always thought I'd end up with. I'm talking about the impressions old boyfriends and crushes have left on me. I think every daughter of Eve have them to some degree. I surely got my fair share of them. I fantasied and day-dreamt. I panted and crushed hard. I was border-line chasing these crushes if it came to it. As for the old flames, we were through but as with any experience we have in life, they inevitably left an impression on me. so what does a girl do with all these when she meets a great guy who wants to pursue marriage with her?

What I did was to just bury them alive. I just shoved them deep somewhere within my soul without asking God for help on what to do. The crazy thing is that these suckers know how to change appearance and come back to life so you won't even suspect. It starts out innocent but it's the little foxes I tell you! So instead of guarding my heart, I start to indulge in a little conversation here with a guy I had feelings for, or just a little imagination of what my life would have been without Mr. And that's how it starts. Until one day I'm on the verge of ruining a really good work that God is doing in my life.

Proverbs 14:1 teaches us that a wise woman builds her home but a foolish woman tears it down. I certainly was walking in the footsteps of the foolish woman by not watching what I dwell on. So what did I do? I asked God for help. What was the answer? Die to yourself. Check this verse out:

"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives." John 12:24

So if I want a new life that will produce a plentiful harvest of new lives, I have to forget what is behind, die to myself and reach for what is ahead. What is your story?

A True Father

---Excerpt from Fathered by God by John Eldredge

Jesus kept coming back to this central issue, over and over, driving at it in his teachings, his parables, his penetrating questions. If you look again, through the lens that most of us feel fundamentally fatherless, I think you'll find it very close indeed to the center of Jesus' mission. "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake?" (Matt. 7:9-10 NIV). Well? We rush ahead to the rest of the passage, but I think Jesus is asking us a real question and he wants a real answer. I expect he paused here, his penetrating, compassionate eyes scanning the listeners before him. Well? I hesitate. I guess you're right. I wouldn't, and apart from the exceptionally wicked man, I can't think of any decent father-even if he is self absorbed-who would do such a thing. Jesus continues, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!" (v. 11 NIV).

He is trying to speak to our deepest doubt about the universe.

Look at the birds of the air. Consider the lilies in the field. Are you not much more valuable to your true Father than they? (Matt 6:26, 28). Hmmm. I'm not sure how to answer. I mean, of course, there's the "right" answer. And then there is the wound in our hearts toward fatherhood, and there is also the way our lives have gone. "What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?" (Matt. 18:12 NIV). Yet another question, pressing into the submerged fears in our hearts, another question wanting another answer. Well? Wouldn't he? "And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost" (vv. 13-14 NIV).Wherever you are in your ability to believe it at this moment in your life, at least you can see what Jesus is driving at. You have a good Father. He is better than you thought. He cares. He really does. He's kind and generous. He's out for your best.

All In God's Timing (Part 7)

Labake had to call Toke. There was just so much to catch up on, it had been a while since she spoke to her girlfriend. However, before she can do that she has to run a few errands. It's Saturday morning and she really doesn't feel like driving around town trying to do this and that. All she really wants to do is to curl up on her bed and gist with Toke. That would just have to wait. Right now, she has to: clean up the house (now that her mother is around), go to the post office, stop at the bank, and pick up groceries. Not a lot of things but very time consuming. Good thing she didn't make plans for this evening because she sure needs her rest. Speaking of plans, didn't she agree to go on a date with Osa?! She has nothing to wear! Didn't she realize that before agreeing to go out with a man, a prince for that matter. Oh brother! Now she has to add going to the department store to her list of things to do. And with that she dragged herself out of bed.

"Ah Akanke, you're awake? You children of nowadays sleep for long hours!" That was the first thing her mother said to her as she came into the kitchen. The woman was all showered and dressed for the day. She even had breakfast started. How does she do it?
"Mom, you always wake up early. It's only 9am!"
"Ok, I'll give you that one because it's Saturday. Will you like to eat?"
"Oh not now mom, I need to get to the bank before 12, and I still have to clean the house and do other things. What did you make?"
"I made ogi and akara. Enough of all this your onyibo food. See if you had woken up earlier you would have time to join me."
"Ah maami! I'm going to clean. see you in a bit."

The day rushed by and it was 3pm before she could settle on the couch with a hot bowl of amala and ewedu soup. It's such a blessing to have her mom around to make home-made Nigerian meals for her. She reached over to the side table and grabbed the cordless phone. Time to call Toke.
At the second ring, Toke answered.
"Ore, what's up?"
"hey love, I'm good o. Just trying not to let my mother drive me nuts. I love that woman though!"
Toke laughed. "You and your mother! I wish my mom would visit. The woman is too busy."
"Toke guess what."
"What?"
Labake giggled. "That was a brilliant answer. Why do we even say that. Anyway, Prince Osa asked me out on a date!"
"Whaaaat?! You're kidding right?"
"Why would I?"
"Wow, when and where?"
"Well, it's this coming Tusday evening. He's coming here."
"Omg, do you have an outfit?"
"Yea, I found something at the store, but I think I'll need help with the look."
"Don't worry I got this. Since I have to see momsie anyway, I'll stop by your place on Tuesday after work. I'll probably leave work early."
"Aww you don't have to... "
"Abeg the work go be alright."
"Aww ok... thank you Toksy... you're the best."
"You're welcome darling. Listen, let me run... I'll call you later ok?"
"Yeah sure no problem. Later love."
"Bye." click.

She really didn't know what to make of this date situation. Should she be excited or should she not be? She didn't want to get her hopes high just to have them crashing down again like many times before. Which is the main reason why she refuses to discuss it with her mother. That would only make matters worse. Her mother would be expecting a proposal immediately after the date meanwhile the man may not even be that into her. What is it with her? Why can't she be like Toke, who had all the men wrapped around her finger? Why can't someone just sweep her off her feet?

Those nutty things called relationships.

(image from: blog.thoughtpick.com)

Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
...
Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.
-Romans 12:2, 9-10.

The verses above encourage us to not live our lives according to the pattern and culture of this world but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind. Then the author goes on to tell us that our love must be sincere. I'm sure you're getting my drift here. When we look around the world there'e so much hatred, bitterness, and truly the love of many has waxed cold. Even in my life. I allowed the enemy to come in and sow seeds of strife and bitterness that just sunk in and took deep roots. It took an emotional outburt on my part for me to realize how deep I had allowed this thing to grow.

See the enemy loves stife in the body of Christ, the more he cause disunity, the harder it is for us to walk in the fullness of what God has for us. In verse 2 it says, "then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is." When we're walking in strife we can't say we know God's heart because in His heart there is no hatred, no malice and no strife. Remember that admonishment that says, "Oh how wonderful and pleasant it is for brethren to dwell in unity?" When we dwell in unity with our brothers and sisters in Christ that is when the anointing and grace of God can truly flow down. Too many times do ministries break down because someone started a rumor and then the seed of deception and strife spreads, leaving many wounded and bitter.

God wants to do an awesome work in His body in these last days. I believe that we would be able to access some mighty breakthroughs spiritually in these last days even as in the natural many things that people thought would never happen are happening. However, to get to that place of knocking down obstacles and claiming the victory, the whole body of Christ has to be united in the effort. Every joint has to supply without murmuring or complaining. Enough of the bickering and back-biting. But this we should do: "Rejoice and exult in hope; be steadfast and patient in suffering and tribulation; be constant in prayer." (Romans 12:12)

Fathered by God.

As I type this post, I'm listening to a sermon about walking with the Father and getting our joy. The preacher said something that just stuck with me and reminded me that I'd been wanting to write about being fathered by God. He said, "busy-ness is the pain-killer of an orphaned soul." Very profound statement. Plainly speaking, this statement means that when a person is so busy they are only using that to deal with not having a relationship with Father God. I've been there.

Most of us, at some point in our journeys with God we're in the stage of being a servant to God. Either we're there when we first got born again or we got there after years of being in the Kingdom. You may ask is it possible to be born again and not have a relationship with the Father? The answer is an alarming yes. It is very possible. Often times people understand the concept of Jesus as Savior, as Lord, as our way to Heaven. We know He is Almighty, we know He is great and powerful and mighty to save but a lot of times most of us don't know how to deal with the reality of Him being our daddy.

Do you know it is possible to be in a family with both parents and not have a relationship with the father? Sure, he's your father, you're a product of his seed, you even look like him. He clothes you and feeds you, he disciplines you makes sure you have what it takes to stand on your own two feet but one thing is lacking. The thing lacking is relationship. That place of knowing your father intimately and him knowing you intimately. Where your relationship with him doesn't hinge upon whether you performed well in school or not, or whether you played really well on the field. You just enjoy your father and there's nothing he can ever do to make you doubt his love for you, and there's nothing you can ever do to make him stop loving you.

Now take that concept and apply it to God and multiply that by a gazillion. If you're like me you know it's hard because the standard of fatherhood the world has shown is really not that great. We live in a broken world where not everyone had a father figure so for many it's very difficult having a heavenly father. The good news is that it is very possible to be fathered by God. The thing is, He's already been waiting for us we just need to reach out to Him. Each person's relationship with Father God will be different just as my earthly father relates to his children differently. But know this: He cares soo deeply and He loves us more than we can ever understand.

Jesus said, "I no longer call you servants, I call you friends." Let's be sons of God, and not only that, let's be friends.

>>> Have you ever struggled with being fathered by God?

Reflections

Hello Blogville!

Please forgive me for my hiatus. There's been soo much going on that kept me away from you. First it was the fact that I felt that I had nothing to share then it was the ban on all non work related use of the internet at work. Today though, I just had to come here by hook or by crook. I can't say I have a word from the Lord for you, so please bear with me.

So a week ago on May 11th it was birthday. My birthday cake had 3 candles on it so I am three years old if you need to know. I got a really nice gift from my Mr. God bless him! I took the day off and spent the first waking moments with the Giver of Life to reflect on how far He's brought me. And even now I'm still on the reflecting train. God has been so awesome to me. I remember times that I honestly thought I wouldn't make it through. That my dreams were nothing more than vapor that will pass away and I will be left with nothing. Through my fears, He's held me in the palm of His mighty Hands, proving to me that He is the keeper of all my dreams.

I reflect on how I used to be and how I'm not that way any more because I have new life in me now. The things I struggled with no longer have me bound, not that I'm perfect but because I now have the choice to not be bound. I can choose in the freedom that He shed His blood for.

I can go on and on, but I won't make your eyes sore from reading. The main thing is that He has brought me from a mighty long way. What about you? Where has He brought you from?

Conversations with God

Recently I just read a book titled "Never the Bride" by Cheryl Mckay and Rene Gutteridge. It was a totally amazing experience. The authors did a great job mixing humor with some very sound core truths about God's heart for us. The book is about a young lady, Jessie, who is single and seriously searching for her Mr. Right. She has a huge crush on her best friend (a guy), Blake, who doesn't see her as a potential mate and so she spends her time dating other men while at the same time waiting for Blake. Her life takes a turn for the better as she develops a living, real, relationship with God. God actually appears to her in human form and that's how their relationship starts. Now I'm not going to ruin it for you, so go get a copy.

There are some things that just struck me in the book though. One of them being the reality of her relationship with God. The relationship was so real and so honest it was quite refreshing. Maybe because she didn't have the religious background that most of us have. When we pray (which is conversation with God) we tend to be very formal, like we put on this air and hardly do we wait for a reply. In the book though because she could see God in a physical body, her conversations with Him were so much more real (for a lack of a better word). I mean you see her letting it all out, the disappointments, her questions, her adoration. His responses are real too. It's funny because people around her began to think she was losing her mind due to stress and depression. She on the other hand is caught up in the most romantic relationship of her life. This book really challenged me about my relationship with God. Have I gotten stuffy in my conversations with God? Instead of presenting myself as I am, have I been reading scripts to Him?

The more I ponder on this, the more I realize that I have. I yearn for that type of living relationship with God, not the one where I'm just always interceding. Don't misquote me, intercession is very vital to the body of Christ; you will be surprised how your interceding has given someone else a breakthrough. But I don't want to intercede so much that I lose out on hearing Him talk to me on a daily basis from the mundane things in life to the big issues. God is just as much interested in the tiny details of my life as He is in solving world hunger. So today, my charge to myself and to you dear reader is that we approach our heavenly Father's throne just as we are and just bare it all to Him.

"Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Hebrews 4:16)

Punishing Sin

I was reading my devotional this morning on the Metro and I came across Jer. 14:10.

Thus says the LORD to this people:
“ Thus they have loved to wander;
They have not restrained their feet.
Therefore the LORD does not accept them;
He will remember their iniquity now,
And punish their sins.” (NKJV)

So it got me thinking, here it says that God desires to punish sins. So I really began to ruminate on this. What does it mean for God to punish our sins. Note: other translations of this verse say, "punish them for their sins. But when I read this, something sparked in me. So I continued reading the devotional piece for today, and they made this statement, "a good doctor will tell you how sick you are in order to take the medicine that will save you." The way I like to think about that statement is, the medicine is the punishment for the sickness. When you go to the doctor, he doesn't get mad at you for being sick, he gives you what you need to be cured.

I believe that when we sin, we face consequences for our sins. The Bible says "the wages of sin is death." There is no mistaking that fact. God is not mocked whatever a man sows so shall he reap. If you sow into the carnal nature you will reap spiritual death. Spiritual death is basically separation from God. That is the consequence of sin.
Now punishment for sin in my understanding is different. Let's go back to the doctor/patient example. The doctor gives the sick person the medicine that will go to the root cause of the illness and drive it out. The medicine wipes out the sickness from the body. I believe so is God's punishment for sin. God hates sin because it separates us from Him. He is a holy God and he cannot behold sin. However He loves the sinner. Scripture tells us in John 3:16 that "for God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." So then how does God punish sin?

God punished sin in the person of Jesus Christ. Remember that He put all our sins upon Him who knew no sin and by His nailing to the cross, He nailed our sins to the cross. Therefore He has satisfied His wrath by putting sin and the root of it to death. Prophecy is then fulfilled in Jer. 14:10. In conclusion, I leave you with these verse for consideration.

13And you who were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh (your sensuality, your sinful carnal nature), [God] brought to life together with [Christ], having [freely] forgiven us all our transgressions,

14Having cancelled and blotted out and wiped away the handwriting of the note (bond) with its legal decrees and demands which was in force and stood against us (hostile to us). This [note with its regulations, decrees, and demands] He set aside and cleared [a]completely out of our way by nailing it to [His] cross.

15[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross]. (Col. 2:13-15 AMP)

-Image taken from http://www.wmofa.com/artists/Velazquez,_Diego/image/Christ_on_the_Cross_1632.jpg.html&img=&tt=

Growing Up

You know, growth is an interesting phenomenon.
You can't see the inch by inch growth of a child yet when you notice that he's gotten taller since the last time you saw him you say, "Oh wow! You've grown so tall!"
The boy probably couldn't feel his head moving up inch by inch everyday but one day he woke up and as if it happened overnight, he's taller and bigger.
Does anyone even know when this growth is taking place? That particular second/minute when the child gained an extra inch. Yet growth keeps happening. And the evidence is glaring, you can't deny that he grew taller.

That's how our life journey is. The ideal is that we go from one stage to a higher stage. We may not all notice the little steps or inches that we grow, but at some point, people go, "oh wow! You've reached this milestone!" We all know quite well that progress doesn't happen overnight. There are nutrients that we've been feeding on that have been contributing to our daily growth whether we feel it or not. However someday we get there. We get to that measurable level of growth. We can look back and have an Ebenezer moment, "thus far has the Lord brought me." And no matter what we've experienced in the past, nobody can deny our testimony.

You may not feel fully grown into who you know you should be. Don't panic. It's a process. God is pruning you, and putting all that you need for growth in you so that you may come to the full stature of Christ.

"12His intention was the perfecting and the full equipping of the saints (His consecrated people), [that they should do] the work of ministering toward building up Christ's body (the church),

13[That it might develop] until we all attain oneness in the faith and in the comprehension of the [[a]full and accurate] knowledge of the Son of God, that [we might arrive] at really mature manhood (the completeness of personality which is nothing less than the standard height of Christ's own perfection), the measure of the stature of the fullness of the Christ and the completeness found in Him.

14So then, we may no longer be children, tossed [like ships] to and fro between chance gusts of teaching and wavering with every changing wind of doctrine, [the prey of] the cunning and cleverness of [b]unscrupulous men, [gamblers engaged] in every shifting form of trickery in inventing errors to mislead. " Ephesians 4:12-14.

-Image found on stock.com

Letter to the Church: Is It well?

This was pulled from the faith column on 234Next.com, please enjoy.


The scripture declares it is well, but is it really? The prophet (Jeremiah I think) said of the priests of his day, and I paraphrase; the Lord says “my people are full of sores, yet the priests rub them with ointment and tell them it is well”. What does this mean? Straightforward really; Israel was infested with sin, yet the priest told the people that all was well. Today the pastors tell us the same thing; it is well, the Lord will bless you. Yet God who does not change is still saying, “if only the people who are called by name will turn and repent, I will heal them of their sins”.

Today, certain words have become archaic, forgotten, discarded, and mentioned only as infrequently as possible. These words? Sin and repent. Sin is mentioned in passing at the time a person becomes ‘born-again’, and repentance is sometimes attached at the end of the sermon, during the alter call. Following this, we are fine, supposedly, and on our merry way to heaven. Washed by the blood, and led by the spirit. But I remember a story that Jesus told of two men who came to the temple to pray. One, a religious Jew, prayed thus; “Father, thank God I am not a sinner like that other man”. And the ‘other man’ prayed thus; “Father forgive me for I am a sinner”. Who did Jesus say went home a righteous man? The ‘other man’. Today, we are the righteous Jew, the sons of Abraham, bought by the blood and led by the spirit, deceiving ourselves that the blood of Jesus has cleansed us of our sin and we thus on the highway to heaven. Care is required and scrutiny of our ways, necessary.

Sin is real and present, and repentance is a state of being. Jesus defines sin at the level of the heart and therefore ensures that we are almost all in a state of perpetual sin. His evidence of fornication, murder, covetousness and greed is always at the level of the heart and mind. Most are struggling, many are falling, plenty live in self-deceit and denial, and for the very religious, we are like the righteous Jew in Jesus’ story who don’t even know that Jesus regards us as sinners.

Ask a Christian, “are you sure that you will make heaven”? And they’re sure to reply, by the grace of God or, through the blood of Jesus. As for carrying our own cross, that’s not necessary as Jesus has done it all. We forget that he was the same man who said, “except a man carry his own cross, he cannot be my disciple”. Most do not even realize that Jesus redefined sin. So a Christian, man or woman, is most likely to believe that they have never committed the sin of fornication since they became ‘born-again’ simply because they have not physically indulged in the act. But at the level of the heart; the rest is best left unsaid. As for covetousness, our hearts know almost nothing else as our prayers tell the story of ‘give me this and give me that’. We want to gain everything even though Jesus asks us to lose our lives. Is it really well with us? Is it really? Who declares that it is well? The self-styled men of god who are more interested in successful ministries (as defined by numbers, size of church building and monetary collections) or our heavenly father who is only interested in the riches of holiness and the glory of righteousness.

I don’t remember any testimonies about overcoming a long fought battle with a particular sin, or someone finally repenting from lying and thanking God that he had remained 100% truthful for the last one year. The church would be irritated at such testimonies and ask people to keep their victory over sin to themselves. But business success, house building, promotion at work, long-awaited marriage, fruit of the womb, and of course that luxury car, of these we testify daily. Is it really well with us?

When will turn again to the days of old, when John cried in the wilderness, REPENT! When will we take our place and watch like Habakkuk? When will we like Abraham leave everything we know behind and look towards our promised land in God? When will we listen to Jesus, when will we agree with him, when will we truly follow him. Is there not a prophet in the land!?

-Kola Lawal, 234Next.com.

Clarity

Often times in life we hear people saying they need more clarity. In most cases, we've been the one telling someone how we need to hear from the Lord to get clarity. You'll hear someone say something like, "I really feel like doing this but I need more clarity." What is clarity? Clarity is defined as the quality or state of being clear. So basically when we desire more clarity concerning a matter, we want to be sure and clear about the choices we're faced with. Having clarity to me is having the courage of my conviction that I'm making the right decision; it is saying the mist is gone, the dust is settled and now I can see clearly.

There are many ways to get clarity concerning a matter. One way is to not act until the dust settles. You may ask, how do I know when the dust has settled? To allow the dust to settle you need to step away from the situation before you. For example, a male friend of yours comes to you and tells you he sees you as a potential mate. You've known each other for quite some time and you also think that you like him. Now your emotions are aroused and you just want to jump into the love boat. That's where you should stop. Take a few days apart from one another and really seek God. The Bible says, "He will keep in perfect peace, he whose mind is stayed on Him." And we know that it is the peace of God that guides our hearts, so then if we're abiding in His peace we'll know exactly what to do. We'll see clearly.

Another way of looking at the example above is to think of our natural senses. When a person loses one sense, the other senses are increased. For example if you closed your eyes, you would probably hear better. So if you closed your eyes to the "mountains" before you, it will be easier to hear the voice of God and know the heart of God concerning a matter.

Hoping you're all having clarity in every decision you're making. God bless!

A Year Ago...

How could I have forgotten my blogiversary! Happy Blogiversary to "Becoming Jeshurun"!!!

Frustration

I am frustrated at many things right now.
Frustrated that my job is not as satisfying as I expected.
Frustrated that answers are a bit slow in coming.
Frustrated that the one I call lover is so hard headed.
Frustrated that I have no outlet for all the songs and screams that are bottled up.

But as I think on my frustrations, I remember Calvary

I remember a God whose glory supersedes all

I remember that it is only when I'm in His presence that I can be renewed

I remember that He has loving arms in which He wants to wrap me in

I remember that His love is never ending

And so remembering this I make a decision
I choose to go to that place where I'm safe
I choose to stay and remain in The Presence
I choose to let the overflow of Glory flow out of me
I choose to love
And be loved.

Sow your tears.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. (Psalm 126:5)

I know that the title of this post is a little depressing. However, I do want to discuss sowing our tears. This past Sunday this scripture just began to run through my mind. Sowing my tears and reaping in joy. I just had to meditate on that. How do we sow in tears? Is it just crying over our misfortunes? Is it mourning and being in grief? First of all what does sowing mean?

Sowing is when we take something that has potential to grow and put it into an environment where it first dies and then multiplies itself. A farmer takes a seed, goes out to his field, puts the seed into the ground and in the coming months, the farmer reaps a bountiful harvest. Just like the farmer, we also have to sow. We have heard of the law of sowing and reaping as it partains to finances. But what about this verse? It's not just talking about sowing seed (money or acts of kindness) but it is talking about sowing tears. How then do we sow in tears?

Sowing in tears means to sacrifice and in my time of meditation I have realized it can be done in these two ways:

-Prayer

-Dying to my flesh.

Sowing in tears through prayers means fervent and passionate prayer. You know the kind of prayer that involves your heart. The kind of prayer that moves you beyond your self. The kind of prayer that keeps you up at night, the one that keeps you at the altar after the pastor has said the benediction. It is the kind of prayer that as you're praying streams of water are flowing from your eyes. Those tears reflect the passion in your prayer.

I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds (John 12:24)

Here Jesus was telling his disciples a principle of the Kingdom. The principle of how to reap a good harvest in our spiritual life. Dying to ourselves is sowing in tears. The reason why it can be considered sowing in tears is because it will be very difficult. Your flesh will war against you and protest such denial and betrayal. But like a good farmer, you have to look into the future and make preparations for your future. A good farmer doesn't eat all his seeds. Neither should you spend all your life satisfying your flesh because the end of it is destruction. If you are courting someone this is the season to sow purity into your relationship so that you can reap God's blessings in your marriage. If you've been put in a place of leadership this is the time to sow integrity because he is faithful over little shall be put over much. And above all, die to yourself because this is the highest sacrifice you can make to God. After all it will require your tears.

An Unselfish Love.

Love Is...

Love is patient and kind.
Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude.
It does not demand its own way.
It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged.
It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out.
Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The Sin Nature

The other day I was reading John 8 : 1-11 during my study time. Below is the text:

1But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. 3The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group 4and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. 5In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" 6They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him.
But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. 7When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, "If any one of you is without sin, let him be the first to throw a stone at her." 8Again he stooped down and wrote on the ground.
9At this, those who heard began to go away one at a time, the older ones first, until only Jesus was left, with the woman still standing there. 10Jesus straightened up and asked her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?"
11"No one, sir," she said. "Then neither do I condemn you," Jesus declared. "Go now and leave your life of sin."

There are some things that just stood out to me when I read this passage. Not that I have never read it before, but as you know, the more we read the Scripture, the more things we discover and rediscover. First, Jesus did not address the woman in front of the Pharisees. Like the fact that they just brought a woman caught in the act of adultery did not bother Him. He ignores their accusations and begins to write on the ground. Some have said that it was each of them's sins that He was writing. This made me to pause, why didn't he even ask the woman to tell her side of the story in front of her accusers. But of course He is not interested in the story of her sin, He already knows it.

When we come into the presence of God, He is not looking at us as sinful. Yes we have sinned, but that sin nature is not who we are. God is more interested in us shedding our sin nature and living in the Spirit nature that He has pre-ordained for us. Yes He knows your past, but He doesn't get stuck there. Neither should you. When you get in His presence, your accusers vanish. Even He doesn't condemn you. One thing that He asks is that you turn away from the sin and embrace Him. Basically, shed your sin nature.

With All Your Heart

With All Your Heart

The heart is the connecting point, the meeting place between any two persons. The kind of deep soul intimacy we crave with God and with others can be experienced only from the heart. I know a man who took his daughter to dinner; she was surprised, delighted. For years she had been hoping he would pursue her. When they had been seated, he pulled out his Day Timer and began to review the goals he had set for her that year. “I wanted to burst into tears and run out of the restaurant,” she said. We don’t want to be someone’s project; we want to be the desire of their heart. Gerald May laments, “By worshiping efficiency, the human race has achieved the highest level of efficiency in history, but how much have we grown in love?”

We’ve done the same to our relationship with God. Christians have spent their whole lives mastering all sorts of principles, done their duty, carried on the programs of their church . . . and never known God intimately, heart to heart. The point is not an efficient life of activity—the point is intimacy with God. “You will find me,” God says, “when you seek me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13). As Oswald Chambers said, “So that is what faith is—God perceived by the heart.”

What more can be said, what greater case could be made than this: to find God, you must look with all your heart. To remain present to God, you must remain present to your heart. To hear his voice, you must listen with your heart. To love him, you must love with all your heart. You cannot be the person God meant you to be, and you cannot live the life he meant you to live, unless you live from the heart.

(Waking the Dead , 48–49)

New Year, New Beginnings....

Welcome to 2010.

As Pastor Olutayo of Good Tidings Bible Church Int'l put it, this is our year of Marvellous Helps. May we all have great help from the Lord in this new year.
Have you thought about what the Lord is saying to you this new year? What direction do you sense that He wants you to go in? I can't say I've got it all penned down but one thing I'm purposing to do this year is seek Him more.

This new year we need insight, we need revelation. There's just so much going on in the world that we need His wisdom to help us navigate through. Let's start this year strong so that we can finish strong. Let's get Heaven's priorities and begin to work on the things that our King has called us to do.

Yes, at times it may seem that answers are not forthcoming as we would like. Let us not lose heart. If we faint not, we will reap a harvest. As we remain standing on the Word of God in every area of our lives this year, the Lord will send us marvellous helps.
So, I say all this to say, get in His presence and forge ahead this year!

Have a great 2010!